A new book calling for more than 260 key reforms to Australia's environment policies has sparked a row over the right of researchers to speak out.
The Australian National University has urged the forestry lobby group, the National Association of Forest Industries, to retract comments attacking a chapter by one of the book's editors, ANU forestry ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer.
The book, Ten Commitments: Reshaping the Lucky Country's Environment, by CSIRO's publishing arm, was launched earlier this week at Parliament House by global eco-campaigner Dr Jane Goodall.
More than 40 of Australia's leading environmental scientists contributed chapters.
Professor Lindenmayer lists 10 key reforms for better forestry management, including a ban on logging old-growth forests, improved logging practices and greater investment in forestry research.
The association says the chapter is ''poorly researched'' and his recommendations ''show a frightening lack of understanding of Australia's environment and the current economic climate''.
It said the book ''and other recently released publications'' showed the ANU ''is no longer expecting high standards from its researchers''.
In a statement posted on the association's website, chief executive Allan Hansard asks, ''How much longer will the ANU retain its position as 16th on a list of the world's top 100 universities if it fails to demand scientific rigour from its professors?'' The ANU's vice-chancellor, Professor Ian Chubb, has called for the association to retract its comments, claiming they are ''incorrect and deliberately defamatory'' of the university.
In a letter faxed to the association, Professor Chubb wrote, ''Researchers employed by the ANU release the findings of their research in publications. Those publications do not represent the view of the ANU itself as your organisation is already aware. The university does, however, encourage its academic staff to engage in constructive public debate based on their research and defends their right to do so.''
A spokeswoman said the association intended to take the matter further, enlisting support from the Construction Forestry and Mining and Energy Union.
It would ''seek clarification'' from Professor Chubb on links between the ANU, Professor Lindenmayer and Fenner School researchers to ''the Wilderness Society and the Greens''.
Professor Lindenmayer said the association had ''blatantly misrepresented'' his recommendations, claiming he had called for an end to logging of native forests.
''If I'd done that, then why would I then move on to talking about the need to improve current logging practices? It makes no sense.''
An ANU spokeswoman said the university ''will not accept funding where the funder has any right to interfere in, or alter, or prevent publication of, the outcome generated by the ANU research''.
She said organisations such as the Wilderness Society ''and indeed NAFI are welcome to fund research so long as it does not compromise academic freedom or the integrity or reputation of ANU.''
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